Hay or shock loader.



H. W. WILLIS.

HAY 0R SHOCK LOADER.

APPLICATION HLED APR. 17. 1914.

Patented 001. 12, 1915.

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HAY OR SHOCK LOADER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17. 1914.-

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

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HAY 0R SHOCK LOADER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17, 1914.

1,156,734. Patented 001;.12, 1915.

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HENRY W. WILLIS, 0F LANSFOR-D, NORTH DAKOTA.

HAY on'snocK LOADER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY W. .WILLIs, citizen. of the United States, residing at Lansford, in thecounty of Bottineau and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in I-Iay or Shock Loaders, of which the following is a specification.

'This invention is a machine for taking up shocks or loose hay which'may be arranged in a windrow, carrying the same to a threshing machine or other place of deposit, and then discharging the load.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel machine which will automatically take up the load as it is driven over'a field, and will be provided with means for preventing discharge of the load before the machine reaches the place of deposit.

The invention also has. for its object the provision of novel means for preventing the premature discharge of the load, and also has for its ob ect the provision of novel means for insuring the discharge of theload when the machine deposit.

The invention further seeks to improve generally the construction and the arrange has reached the place of ment of the parts of a hay or shock loader to the end that the e-fliciency and durability of the same may be increased.

The several stated objects, and such other objects as will incidentally appear as'the description of the invention proceeds are attained by the use of. mechanism of the type illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

and the invention consists in'ce-rtainnovel features which will be first fully described, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims following the-description.

In the annexed drawings: 4 i

Figure 1 is a plan view of aloader embodying my present improvements; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same,-showing the parts arranged to take up alload; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the machine arranged to discharge a load; Fig. 4:,is a frontelevation with parts in section, the plane of said section being-indicated by the line H of Fig.1; and 5 isa detail perspective view of a portion ofl the mechanism for operating the gate;-

Specification of Letters Patent.

- other standards 3 at'their rear ends.

Patented Oct.12, 1915.

Application fil ed April 17, 1914. Serial No. 832,544.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to 1n the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

frame to connect the standards 3.

, The lowermost side bars 1 are beveled on their n'nder edges at their forward ends, as shown at 6, and a series of parallel teeth 7 are arranged between the said side bars and have their forward ends similarly beveled so that they may ride readily over the ground when the machine is in position to take up a load, as illustrated in Fig. 2. These teeth 7 are secured at their rear ends to a cross bar 8 extending between the standards 3, and the central tooth 7 is extended rearwardly, as shown at 9, and pivotally secured between the parallel beams 10. consti tuting a draft bar or tongue. The saidenlargement or extension 9 is provided with a rack or gear 11 at its rear end, and this rack or gear is in mesh with a segment or gear 12 which is pivotally mounted between said beams 10, as'shown most clearly in cross bars 5 are disposed atthe rear of the seat 15 ismounted on the upper end of the said post, and a spring 16 is fitted'between the platform and the said seat so asto cushion the seat. A steering wheel 17 is mount ed upon the lower end of the post 14, and a washer or other support 18 for the rear endof the draft bar is also mounted upon said post. By this arrangement, the driver uponthe seat 15 by moving to one or the other side may cause the post l t to rotate about its'own longitudinal axis, and thereby swing the steering wheel '17 to one or the other side so'as toguidethe machine. The rear end of'the draft-bar is suppo'rted'abovef the ground, and is also permitted'to Vibrate more or 1Sl$ 1 119 machine passes over any inequalities in the surface of the field without affecting the successful use of the machine.

A link 19 is pivotally connected at its front end to the under side of the gear 12, and at its rear end is pivoted to the lower end of a lever 20 which is fulcrumed upon the draftbar and is equipped with a latch 21 adapted to engage a segment 2 on the draft-bar, and thereby hold the lever in a set position. When the lever is locked against movement, the gears 11 and 12 will prevent relativemovement of the draft-bar and of the main frame, so that the teeth will not be swung up from the ground as a load accumulates upon the rear ends of the same,

and when the lever is manipulated to raise the teeth, the gear 12 will be positively actuated so as to impart movement to the frame through the gear 11 and cause the frame to swing about its pivotal connection with the draft-bar and lift the front ends of the teeth from the ground.

The forward standards 2 are extended somewhat above the uppermost side bars 1, and upon the upper ends of said standards I pivotally secure the levers or arms 23 which carry the gate 24 at their front ends. It will be readily understood that the gate extends transversely of the machine between the said levers and is rigidly'secured thereto. The gate consists of end bars and cross bars extending between the same, and the lowermost cross bars may he provided with depending pins 25 adapted to enter'the spaces between the forward ends of the teeth 7 when the gate is in its loweredposition so as to effectually prevent the escape of any portion of the load. Braces 26 are also secured to the end bars of the gate and the levers or arms 23 so as to increase the rigidity of the structure.

The rear end'of each lever or arm 23 is connected by a link 2'? with a crank disk 28 arranged at the adjacent side of the machine and rotatably mounted upon a bar 29 which is pivoted at its front end to the standard 2. The link 27 is pivoted to the disk 28 at one side of its center, and at the opposite side of the center of said disk is pivoted a rod 30 which has its lower end pivoted in the lowermost side bar 1 of the main frame. Below its center the disk has pivoted thereto the front end of a rod 31 which extends rearwardly from the disk and is attached to a cable or other flexible member 32 exis attached to this cable or chain, and. ex-

tends to the lever 20 to which it'is pivoted above the fulcrum thereof, as shown in Figs. 2-and 3. It will thus be readily seen that, when the lever is thrown rearwardly, a pull will be exerted upon the disks 28 which will cause them to partly rotate and exert a downward pull upon the levers 23 through the links 27 so as to raise the gate 24. At the same time the connecting rod 19 will push upon the gear 12 so that the gear 11 will tend to move upwardly and, conse quently, the main frame will swing about its pivotal connection with the draw-bar to swing the teeth downwardly and forwardly in position to take up shocks or loose hay arranged in a row across the field. After the load has been gathered the lever is swung forwardly, and the weight of the gate 24 will then cause it to swing down across the front end of the machine so that the load cannot escape, and, at the same time, the connecting rod 19 will pull upon the gear 12 so that the main frame with its teeth will be swung in a direction opposite to that previously given it and the front ends of the teeth raised from the ground. It will also be readily seen that the interposition of the disks 28 carried by the pivoted arms 29 and the connections of said disks with the gate .will amplifythe movement of the lever so that a slight throw of the lever will be sui cient to raise the gate 24 entirely clear of any standing shocks which it may be desired to load into themachine.

Pivotally mounted between the teeth 7 are a series of guards or supporting arms 36 which constitute a support for the rear portion of the load, and also form the base of the ejector or pusher. The rear ends of these guards 36 are connected by a cross bar 37, and a back frame or head extends from the said cross bar up above the main frame, the said back frame or head consisting of spaced standards 38 and a cross bar 39 connecting the upper ends thereof, as shown. To the ends'of the cross bar 39 are pivoted links 40 having their lower ends pivoted to cranks 41 fixed on the ends of a shaft 42 extending across the rear of the main frame and provided at its center with an eye 43 in which is engaged the rear end of a link 44 secured to the upper side of a push bar 45 which has its rear end pivotally connected with a lever 46 fulcrumed upon the draftbar 10, as shown. The shaft 42 is movable vertically in guides 47 supported upon the standards 48 which connect the rear cross bars 5 and 8. The cranks 41 are pivotally supported by the upper ends of brackets 49 which are secured upon the standards 3, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2.

If the push bar 45 be moved longitudinally forward, the link 44 will act through its connection with the shaft 42'to impart a slight rocking movement to the said shaft, and this movement in turn will be transmitted to the cranks 41 so that they will swing about their pivot-a1 connections with the brackets 49, and, consequently, a lifting movement Will be imparted to the said shaft -12 so that the links will move'upwardly and forwardly and swing the back frame or head into the position shown in Fig. 3, the guards 36 being moved upwardly about their pivotal connection with the fingers 7, as clearly shown in said figure. The load upon the guards and in front of the back frame will consequently be loosened and pushed slightly forward so that, if the machine be backed, it will be drawn out from under the load which will be then left upon the ground.

The push bar extends forwardly beyond its point of connection with the link a4, and other links or lever arms are pivoted to the push bar between the rear end of the link 44 and the machine frame. These links or lever arms 50 diverge from their connection with the push bar forwardly, and to the outer ends of the said links are pivotally attached levers 51 which are fulcrumed in brackets 52 secured upon the standards 48. Breast chains 53 are attached to the outer ends of the said levers 51, and these breast chains are to be attached to the collars of the draft animals. To aid in preventing collapse of the structure, a bail or brace 54 is pivoted at its ends to the mainframe at opposite sides of the draft-bar or beams 10, and has its central portion extending under and journaled upon the under side of said beams.

It is thought the manner of using my improved machine and its many advantages will be readily understood from the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

The draft animals are harnessed to the \vhiflle-trees 55 which are carried by the rear end of the draft-bar, and the breast chains 53 connected with the collars of the draft animals so that if the animals be driven over a field, the gathering teeth 7 and the members co-acting therewith will be caused to travel in advance 'of the team. The levers 20 and 46-are set in their rearmost positions,

thus bringing all of the parts into the position illustrated in Fig. 2, after which the team is driven over the field along the line of shocks or the windrow of loose hay or.

other material. As the machine travels over the field the fingers 7 will take under the hay or the shocks, and said material will, consequently, be loaded into the machine,

being supported by the guards 86 and the back frame or head 38 as well by the for ward portions of the fingers.

After a load has been gathered, the lever 20 is swung forwardly and the teeth will be thereby lifted. and the gate 24 lowered, as

previously described, and as illustrated in- Fig. 5, so that the load will be held in the machine The machine may then be driven to a threashing machine or other point and the lever 20 then again swung rearwardly, after which the lever 46 may be released or wardly-and, consequently, the back frame or ejector swung to the position shown in Fig.

3, thereby giving a forward impetusto' the load so that, if the backward travel of the team be continued, the machine will be drawn from under the load.

' The several 'parts of my improved machine are all simple in their construction, and they are compactly arranged so that the liability of the machine to get out of order is minimized.

It will be noted that the main carrying wheels 56 are mounted upon crank axles 57 which are disposed at such points of the lowermost side bars 1 that the machine will readily balance thereon, and by employing crank axles I am enabled to use large substantial carrying-wheels so that stability of the machine during its travel will be attained.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as'new is 1. In a machine for the purpose set forth, the combination of a wheeled frame having forwardlyprojecting teeth, a draft bar pivotally connected at its frontend to and eX- tending rearwardly from said wheeled frame, a support for the r-ear end of the draft bar, intermeshing gears on the rear side of the frame and on the draft bar, means on the draft bar for operating said ing said gears against movement. 7

2. The combination of a wheeled frame gears, and means on the draft bar for lock- 7 draft bar consisting of a pair of beams pivoted at their front ends directly to said projection, a support for the rear end of the draft bar, a gear on said projection between the beams, a'gearhoused between the beams and meshing with first-mentioned gear, and

means mounted on the beams to actuate said I last-mentioned gear. 1

. 3. In a machine for the purpose set forth,

the combination of a wheeled frame having forwardly projecting teeth, a gear on the rear side of theframe disposed in a vertical plane, a draft bar comprising a pair of parallel beams pivoted at their front ends to said gear and receiving the same between them, a gear pivoted between the beams and" meshing with said first-mentioned gear, a le- 1ver fulcrumed on the draft bar, 'ailink connecting the lever with the last-mentioned gear, and a support for the r-ear end of the draft bar. g V

4, The combination of a frame, a gate pivotally mounted upon the frame, a draft barplvoted to. and extending rearwardly from & 1,156,734

the frame, a lever mounted upon the said In testimony whereof I affix my signature draft bar, interengaging means on the draft in presence of two witnesses.

bar and the frame for oscillating the frame 1 connections between said means and the le- HENRY WILLIS ver, means for pivotally moving the gate, Witnesses: and connections between the said means and J. G. WALSTAD, the lever. B. A; LEE.

7 Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

